Here Is the NBA's Western Conference Breakdown

The western conference for the second consecutive year is closer then ever. We have nine teams that are above .500, and most likely, the last game of the regular season will deiced who’s going to be left out of the playoffs this year and who’s going to have home court advantage. Here is a sum of the eastern conference playoff runner ups.

For starts, here is the standing of the nine top teams in the west:

Team

W

L

L.A Lakers

48

12

San Antonio

40

19

Denver

39

21

Houston

38

22

New Orleans

37

22

Portland

37

22

Utah

37

23

Dallas

36

24

Phoenix

34

25

Only six games between second to ninth place. The Lakers are a sure thing in the playoffs, and most likely they will finish first.

For each team I wrote the number of games left until the end of the season and the games that are against teams that are over.500 that want to make it to the playoffs. I also add the teams home and on the road records.

Let’s break it down:

San Antonio (40 -19)

The Spurs have 23 games left.

On the Road 20-11

Will be playing (Over .500)

Dallas, Houston, Atlanta, New Orleans, and Cleveland

At Home 20-8

Will be playing (Over .500)

Phoenix, Lakers, Boston, Houston, Utah, New Orleans, and Portland

The Spurs have a good record at home and away, and they are known as one of the best playoff teams in the league today, and like the Lakers, the Spurs will make the playoffs. The Spurs know how to win the big games, so I don’t see them falling out of the playoffs now.

Denver (39-21)

The Nuggets have 22 games left.

On the road 17-14

Will be playing (Over .500)

Portland, Lakers, Dallas, New Orleans, Phoenix, Utah and Detroit

Home 22-7

Will be playing (Over .500)

Portland, Houston, and Utah.

I don’t see the Nuggets winning all 12 games against the teams that are less the .500, and from there schedule, I think the Nuggets will go 2-5 on the road, and at home they should go 3-0. So I think Denver will make the playoffs, but I don’t think they will stay in third place.

Phoenix, Lakers, San Antonio, Detroit, Portland, Orlando, and New Orleans

The Rockets play 15 games against the top teams and 8 of them are on the road. Houston’s road record is not so good, winning only 14 out of 30.

It’s hard to see them win all the home games against the top teams. Houston, without T-Mac, and a very hard schedule, will most likely not make the playoffs.

New Orleans (37-22)

The Hornets have 23 games left.

On the road 16-13

Will be playing(Over .500)

San Antonio, Dallas, Houston, Miami, and Atlanta

Home 21-9

Will be playing (Over .500)

Dallas, Houston, Denver, San Antonio, Utah, Phoenix, and Dallas

The Hornets have a good schedule, they will win at least two out of the five away games, and win most of there home games.

What we should be following are the three meetings they Hornets have against the Mavericks, those three games will say a lot in the playoff run. Chris Paul is playing great as usually so it’s hard not to see him led the Hornets to the playoffs.

Portland (37-22)

The Trailblazers have 23 games left

On the road 13-17

Will be playing (Over .500)

San Antonio, Houston, Cleveland, and Denver

Home 24-5

Will be playing (Over .500)

Lakers, Dallas, Phoenix, Philadelphia, Utah, Lakers, and Denver

The Blazers have a good schedule, only four top team meetings on the road, which is good for Portland because Portland’s record on the road is bad. Most likely they will lose all four away games against the top teams (maybe get away with one W).

I don’t think they will be able to win all there home games, they will meet the Lakers twice and other teams that want to make the playoffs and have the experience to get there. So Portland can be out too.

The Jazz have a very hard schedule, they will be playing 10 of the top teams in the league away. There record is 11-17 on the road. The Jazz have won eight in a row, six at home (including the Lakers, Hornets, Hawks and Boston) and two away games (Warriors and the T-wolves).

The Jazz are now health and playing good, the question is will they be able to get some wins on the road against the teams they could meet in the playoffs? The important fact is that all the players are health now, so maybe this will help them on the road. Utah can be out too.

Dallas (36-24)

The Mavs have 22 games left.

On the road 14-16

Will be playing (Over .500)

New Orleans, Cleveland, Atlanta, Lakers, Portland, Phoenix, and New Orleans

The Mav’s have a good schedule, the games we need to followed are the three games against the Hornets, that can make the difference of making the playoffs or not. The Mav’s have playoff experience, Dirk is playing like an MVP again, and Kidd is running the show. I would say it’s a 60-40 chance for Dallas to make the playoffs.

The Suns have a good schedule, they should be able to get four wins on the road, and after they beat the Lakers at home, that should give them the confidence they need to win at least five or six of their home games.

If Shaq, Hill, and Nash can keep the pass up until the end of the season they will make the playoffs, and maybe even have home court in the first round. I think on the road they can go 5-3, and at home 6-1. So if they don’t slip and lose to an under .500 team then the Suns will be in.

Bottom Line:

If all teams stay health then this is most likely how it will go down. No doubt, that again, the NBA has brought us one of the most entertaining sports dramas for the second year. And like a said, it can easily go down to the last game off the regular season to know who will make the playoffs.

Portland, Houston or Dallas will not be making the playoffs this year, the question is which team. I will have to go with Portland or Houston.